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>> The New Year Day.>> This Japanese astronaut said he had serious news on Monday. Norishige Kanai took to Twitter to announce that he'd grown nine centimeters while he was in space, just three weeks into a mission at the International Space Station. He said he was worried he might not fit into his spacecraft seat for the journey back to Earth.

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But by Wednesday, his claim was looking like a rather tall story. After a flurry of media attention, the astronaut returning to his Twitter feed to apologize for spreading what he called terrible fake news.>> Are you ready?>> Following questions raised by his captain, a remeasurement showed that he'd only grown two centimeters from his regular earthbound height.

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Most humans in space do actually grow during protracted space missions because their spines stretch out in the absence of gravity. But those gains are usually limited to a couple of centimeters and disappear once back on terra firma. Kanai's update dashing any hopes of astronomical growth spurt solutions for adults.